RSL's Williams hangs 'em up after 14-year MLS career

Real Salt Lake's veteran midfielder Andy Williams called time on his career Monday, retiring after 14 years in the league to join the RSL technical staff.

Williams, 34, was the last remaining member of the original RSL team, joining the club with the first pick of the 2004 MLS Expansion Draft and spending the rest of his playing days representing the Claret and Cobalt. He was a crucial part of the 2009 MLS Cup championship side, contributing two goals and six assists off the bench that year and playing the full 120 minutes in the title game.

Though his numbers dipped in 2011 — he managed just two goals and one assist — he was durable, appearing 31 times and logging 1970 minutes, the latter number his highest since 2005.

Williams played 332 career regular season matches in his career. He amassed 30 goals in that time. His 86 career assists place him eighth in MLS history. He also played in 19 playoff matches, socring two goals and nine assists.

The stability and longevity he found at RSL were a far cry from Williams' first six years in the league. He came into MLS with a bang in 1998, leading the Columbus Crew in assists during the same year that he represented Jamaica in the World Cup. But his stay in Columbus didn't last long, and he was on his way to Miami to play for the Fusion in 2000.

He then spent a year-and-a-half with New England, before a brief stop in New York in 2002. Williams landed in Chicago for the 2003 and 2004 seasons, helping lead the Fire to the 2003 US Open Cup title.

Williams — who was born in Toronto — was a mainstay for the Reggae Boyz during the entirety of his MLS career. He represented Jamaica 92 times, including at the 1998 World Cup. He finished his career with 13 international goals.